New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-04-10

omcer, ana Win a single Rlance nc btruCk hiii
into q state Of cataleptic rigdity.
When in the cataep.ic state the victim always
remembered what had occurred IN former abnorma
situations, and he celdOM failed u revert to The
incident Of the staff transformed into whiskey
| bottle.
Let us have little whiskcy, sir-do,' III
pleadcd In wheedlng tone, for in this condition
he was O creature distinct from his waking self.
"Silence I" said the prisoner who was now
again the master
I'm awaiting for your orders, sir, replied the
warder submissively.
"You shall have them soon enough" said Mum
Der 222. Listen to me. In your present condl
ton YOU are in my power: when | release you
am in yours Your power you use like tyrant
and l am sick of it and of you. You arc poor
and desrcable creature whom the accident OF
fortune has placed in position OF almost unlim
tied authority over some huhdreds Oh unhappy
criminals L admit that many in this place arc
vcry had mon and merit no better fate than the
desperate one they suffer here But you are q
very bad man also, and the least suited therefore
TO have power over your natural KIN. over good
men O bad ruler is suihclcnt evil over pad men
his rule is an intolcrable curse You have too
long abused your power here you shall abuse IL
no longer | put an end TO your rule tonight
At these portentois words the waIder turned
winter than the whitewashed walls OF the cell. His
muscles q,livered, he shook in every limb.
What are you going 10 DO Win me, sir? he
duavcrcd.
81 am going to settle your hasb,' replied Mum.
her 222 gravely, adopting the mode Of speech btst
calculated to strike home TO the feelings and III
telligence of the wardcr
My lash, sir. Going to settle my ASH. Are
you going TO kill me :?
"Oh no. replied Number 300. II am not
going to hurt you in the least. have thought OF
another and a more effective mode of dealing with
you. l am Simply going to request you to stand
ON your head for few moments here In The middle
of tho cell hear the Governor coming be good
enough to comply with my request at once.
The Governor in fact was making round or
the prison that evening, and ut that very moment
his step could be heard coming in the direction OF
the cell where this unusual colloquy was pro-
ceeding -
ISLAND on your head said Number 222 "Ihe
Governor Will be here III a moment
dense sweat broke upon the warders forehead
and glttered there In beads"
"Stand on your head" repeated the prisoner
coldy and calmly
II won't !" said the wardcr doggedly; but his
trcmulous features and the rocking OF his body
showed him incapabe of resistance TO the terrible
Will OF Number 222.
The Governors step came nearer. The warder
had not closed the door Of the cell, and IT eapcd
some six inches
"Obey me now, 1 say !" exclaimed the prisoner,
and his eyes shot fire into the wild and fearful
orbs OF his victim.
the wretched warder made, but the prisoner held
him with his eye and made two rapid passes
across the upper portion Of the warders face
The body OF the warder swung forward, he
turned o half-somcrsault and placed himself heels
uppermost in the centre OF the cell.
The Governor with the chief wardcr Mt his
elbow, paused at the unlocked door, pushed IL
open and looked in.
Spcctaclcs of this sort were not common in the
prison. and for n moment The Governor appeared
TO doubt what he saw before him.
lie advanced step into the cell and there
halted, specchlcss and conlounded. The CHIEF
warder looked over the Governors shoulder, and
he also seemed very much SURPRISED
Number 222 had risen OH the entry OF the Gov
ernor and stood 10 attention with MS hands NJ
his sides. Ills countenance exhibited an air oil
mild concern, merging In pity
In the middle of the cell the warder Slept Sc
rencly on his head.
in Heavens namc what's this? p the Gov
crnor exclaimed at length, and he made n lunge
with his cane at the inverted figure Of the warlcr.
Mr. Smith on his head, sir. Would stand that
way when he heard you coming, sir, responded
Number 222.
Get upl Attention Stand on your right
cndl Is this damned slIittlc alley p rohici the
Governor but the wardcrs ear was accessible only
to the voice Of tho prisoner.
"Wbaf-you won't :" and the Governor struck
him fcrccly two or three times with his cane, put
Number 222 who alone had control Of the war
dcr's abnormal consciousness now silently cXcrtcd
his Will and the wardcr at once Resumed an up
right posture and his lenses awokc. Of The sltua-
ton Of the previous moment he knew nothing, and
seeing the Governor he concluded that he had just
entered the cell, and saluted HIN In tie usual
manner.
Follow me, SIR said the Governor with sup
prc. scd fury. and the warder went out after him.
perceiying that something was wrong. but being
quite without cew TO the situation.
The next day il was whispered in every ward Of
the prison that Number ODD had worked another
miracle and that Warder Smith had lost his office.
Yet wonders did not cease, and there was no
ease for the wardcrs. subtle, impondcrablc
force TO which no material barriers could be OPP
roscd. issued from the cell Of NumLer 222 and
passed silently swiftly, inysibly into the cells Of
other prisoners creating The slIangcst ELECTS
upon the occupants. Some were troubled with
distressing dreams some spoke Of snakes, cater
pillars and lcbstcls in their beds, and not few
saw the disembodicd spirits Of persons to whom
they had owed money. great number became
suddenly deaf. dumb or incapable OF movement
when at work in the daytime. ard remained SO
until the magical influence which seemed TO sur
round and overpOwcr them was removed. One
man was fined 200 marks for saying that chocolate
and cold quail would be wholesome substitute
for bread and cheese ON Sunday, and another was
nut ON bread and water for a week for complaining
to the Governor that he saw blue flames playing
about the head OF tie apothccarY.
Formerly none but the officers Of the Jail had
been subjected TO thee cxtavagant experiences !;
INIT NOW the prisoners and their officers were Vie
tinizcd togcthcr, and about onehalf Of the popu
lation seemed to have clean mad.
The persons who afflicted in these peculiar
ways were such as had rendered themselves bur.
dcnsome TO the mild-nannercd 222-wardcs whose
treatment Of him was more Jealous than tender ;
prisoners whom lie could not endure because Of
their extreme ugliness; cooks Of the prison who
baked. boiled or roasted the ratons in a sloycnly
manner and all those whose crimes (which he had
secretly lcarncd) seemed to call for weightcr
punishment than that prescribed by law.
Number 222 in word was rapidly acquiring
complete asccndcncy the vOlitions, sensations
perez ptIons. ncmoiy and inae nation Of all In the
prison Oh whom lie chose to cast the rcsstlcss
spell of his glance.
sLaIIIl Lcrn he 81 ~ cd That llc dnclar Of iLc